Saturday, October 1, 2011

Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights Chronicles Curious Rash of Ancient Sex Claims Against Priests

The following accusations were made against priests in the month of September alone:
• A 34-year-old man says he was abused in the 1980s by a priest from Portland, Oregon.

• In the same diocese, a 41-year-old woman says she was also abused in the 1980s, adding that this explains her series of failed romantic relationships.

• An 83-year-old priest from Charlotte, North Carolina was accused of molesting a teenage male in the 1970s.

• A priest from San Bernardino was accused of molesting teenage males in the 1970s.

• A priest from Ohio was accused of "misconduct" that allegedly took place in the 1970s.

• A priest from Kansas City was accused of molesting a boy in the 1970s.

• A St. Louis priest was accused of molesting a boy in the 1970s.

• A woman says a priest from Maine abused her in the 1970s.

• A priest from Chicago was accused of abusing a girl in the 1970s.

• An 85-year-old priest from Baton Rouge was accused of abusing a boy in the 1950s.

• Montana nuns were accused of abusing students in the 1940s.

• A convicted sex offender from California says he was abused in 2001 by a priest.

• A Missouri couple, which up until now never admitted that their son committed suicide in 1983, sued the local diocese for their son's death, claiming he was abused by a priest.

• The parents of a young man who committed suicide say they blame a priest who wrestled with their son. Some of the man's friends say he spoke about a wrestling incident, but never said there was anything sexual about it; others say the man told them he felt the priest's genitals rubbing up against him.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue says, "In this climate, which is profoundly hostile to priests, one would have to be awfully naïve not to wonder why all of these allegations surfaced in just one month about such dated incidents. I would love to see the financial statements of the accusers."